I Kissed a Boy and Girl is vital – the BBC has made a grave mistake axing them

As a queer woman, I remember my utter delight when the BBC first announced a new LGBTQ+ primetime dating show: I Kissed a Boy.

I was working at an LGBTQ+ publication at the time, and the sheer excitement among my colleagues was palpable. 

Our joy only grew when, during the airing of the first groundbreaking series, a spin-off was announced – I Kissed a Girl. 

When that show began to air in 2024, it was the main topic of conversation among my queer friends. I remember the warmth I felt laughing over an episode with a group of LGBTQ+ friends who had never seen this kind of representation on screen before.

Helmed by gay icon Dannii Minogue and airing on a mainstream network, the show was a game-changing moment on British reality TV, and one that was long overdue.

So you can imagine how gutted – and angry – I was at the news yesterday that after one more season of I Kissed a Girl, both shows would be axed.

In a statement, the BBC said: ‘We are exceptionally proud of I Kissed A Boy/Girl, the UK’s first dating show for the LGBTQ+ community. We would like to thank our fabulous cupid Dannii Minogue and the entire team at Twofour for bringing the series to screen.

‘Unfortunately, we have to make difficult choices in light of our funding challenges and there are no current plans for the show to return.’

Frankly, given how few seasons we’ve had and the trailblazing nature of the two shows – this isn’t good enough from the corporation. These shows played a vital part in bolstering LGBTQ+ acceptance across the board, helping educate the layperson about our experiences. 

This show has meant so much to so many. In fact, as someone who isn’t the biggest reality TV watcher, I was stunned at just how much it impacted me. 

Sometimes you don’t realise how important it is to feel represented until it actually happens, until you feel yourself reflected in an authentic and meaningful way. And in the case of this series, what made that representation so much more special is that it wasn’t monolithic – it was diverse and nuanced. 

The cast always featured people who hailed from a range of communities, and we saw several of the contestants open up about their identities and their journeys to self-acceptance. 

But beyond that, they were given space to exist as fully rounded people who were more than just their gender identity and sexuality. There was a heartwarming undertone to the whole experience. 

LGBTQ+ people often have a later start in life when it comes to romantic milestones, and more than one contestant was open about how little dating experience they had. 

In season one, we saw contestant Demi introduce herself as a ‘babygay’ who said she ‘wasn’t too sure I fit in, but I want to be part of the community properly’.

Another moment that deeply resonated with viewers, including myself, was contestant Georgia discussing her struggle embracing the term ‘lesbian’ and how it’s ‘something to be proud of’.

Over on I Kissed a Boy, there was a refreshing antithesis to the toxic masculinity we often see in shows like Love Island (that seems to have controversy over concerning male behaviour every season).

Instead, we saw masculinity in all its forms, and, during an era where trans rights are under more threat than ever, even shared a powerful storyline featuring trans male contestant, Lars.

Telling Metro just how much it meant to him at the time, he said: ‘It was an opportunity for representation and to represent myself and the community, and that was very personal to me.

‘There are not a lot of trans men in the media, and I want to allow for more of that and open the conversation for more trans men. But just because I was scared, that doesn’t mean I shouldn’t do it.

Part of what made the show feel so special was that it felt like an antidote to the more toxic American LGBTQ+ dating shows that do exist, like The Ultimatum: Queer Love (although, surprise, surprise, that too has been cancelled), while still having excellent drama.

Host Dannii herself summed up why these shows are necessary to Metro.

‘There are some dating shows where, from season one to twenty, it’s the same people, it’s the same conversations, it’s rinse and repeat. 

‘The landscape is changing globally and we’re a part of that. It affects everything. This particularly will be such a time stamp of what is going on, whether you’re in the community or not,’ she said.

Sadly, this has never been truer than with its axing, which comes amid concerning times, locally and globally, for my community. 

Last year, the ILGA’s ranking for LGBTQ+ rights for European countries put the UK 22nd out of 49 countries, a dramatic plunge from spot 13. 

Meanwhile, Nigel Farage’s Reform Party, which still tops polls, has declared ‘transgender indoctrination is causing irreversible harm to children’ and threatened to repeal the Equality Act.

As for LGBTQ+ representation on screens – things are just as dire. 

Recently, Pixar boss Pete Docter explained they had decided to remove LGBTQ+ elements from their 2025 movie Elio, as some parents aren’t ready to have those conversations with their children.

“We’re making a movie, not hundreds of millions of dollars of therapy,’ he said to Wall Street Journal. To call it insulting would be an understatement. 

As a British institution, the BBC should be pushing back against this kind of trend, not embracing it, whatever their financial situation. 

Ultimately, I Kissed A Boy and I Kissed A Girl represented a whole lot more than just another dating show. They were meant to carve a path for more, not be cut short just a couple of seasons in, with no chance to find their feet and flourish.

Not everything can be about breaking viewing records – some shows are important to back, no matter the cost.

I know that I, like many LGBTQ+ people across the nation, feel completely let down today.

Do you have a story you’d like to share? Get in touch by emailing Ross.Mccafferty@metro.co.uk. 

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